Where can I find a student health insurance quote?

Your best bet for finding student health insurance quotes is to do a general Internet search and see what insurance companies provide this type of health insurance. Then, you can go directly to the websites for those companies and enter your (or your child’s) information to get a quote on health insurance plans. You can also call up your insurance agent directly and ask if your current health insurance provider offers these types of plans. If so, should be able to just add it to your account.

Another method of getting a student health insurance quote is by contacting your school or college and asking if they offer a sponsored student health insurance plan. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education in its article on how the proposed federal health plan might affect college-sponsored student health plans, almost 2,000 colleges across the United States offer student health policies. These sponsored plans cover nearly three million students.

How do I find out if my college offers a student health plan?

Call or stop by your Student Health Services building or department to find out whether your college offers student health policies. Chances are that this information is also provided on the college’s website, as well as in the information packet sent out to new students at the school.

For example, Texas A&M University has an entire website dedicated to its health insurance plans for students at every one of its campuses. Students enrolled in more than six credit hours are eligible to apply for policies. The plans are administered by AIP, Associated Insurance Plans International, Inc., which also administers plans for a smattering of other schools across the United States.

One of the larger student health plan underwriters is Aetna, which has a large Student Health division. Aetna covers many of the largest universities in the U.S., including Rutgers, Boston, and Northwestern, as well as many of the smaller colleges.

Whichever student health plan you end up choosing, make sure that it offers a network of providers in the area where you or your child is attending school. It won’t do much good if your child suffers an injury or falls ill while living on campus, and their primary care physician is in another state.

If I’m covered under my parents’ health insurance policy, do I still need a student plan?

If you’re still eligible for coverage under your parents’ insurance plan, then that’s probably all the coverage you need. Many plans will cover dependents under the age of 19, but if those dependents become full-time students, they extend coverage through to age 23 and older. The catch is that you must remain enrolled full-time–if you drop courses and become a part-time student, you will no longer be protected on your parent’s policy.

It’s worth looking into any sponsored health insurance plan that your school may offer, just in case it offers a better price or more comprehensive coverage at the same price. Additionally, if you’re employed full-time and attending college, you should check if your employer’s plan is competitive in terms of price and coverage.

As we mentioned above, you should also make sure that, if you remain on your parents’ policy, there are in-network providers located near to you at school. If you attend college out-of-state and your parents’ health insurance is regional, you don’t want to have to pay out-of-network rates just to go to a local doctor.

Why do I need student health insurance?

If you aren’t covered on any other health insurance policy, whether your parents’ or your employer’s, you need student health insurance so that you’re protected medically while you’re at school. Besides the fact that you should always have health insurance no matter what stage you’re at in life, college is an extra stressful time when people are prone to eat poorly, sleep little, and engage in badly though-out activities.

Don’t forget that most people have roommates in college, and sharing rooms, class notes, computers, and so many other things can lead to the easy transfer of germs. It’s not unheard of for illnesses such as mono, strep, and flu to spread easily through dormitories.

As another note, many college students opt to take a year to study overseas–an activity for which many standard health insurance policies offer little coverage. However, student health insurance policies usually account for this type of thing and offer comprehensive coverage no matter where a student travels. Studying in China–covered. Going to spring break at Daytona Beach–covered. Taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon–covered!

Find out more about student health insurance quotes. Start right now by first putting your zip code in the box below.